Page 174 of Priest and his Anarchist

“But that was before I came back? That was before.” The pieces slide into place. He knew she was a twin all along.

I cover his hand with mine. It only barely covers his palm. “But you loved her.”

“I killed her.”

Taking my hand in his, he slowly stands. I have no idea what any of this means. I thought he would have killed me the same way he did her, but he kept it. He kept my ribbon this entire time, and more than that—he tied it back onto me. The gaping hole in my chest closes. He’s carried it with him this whole time until he was ready to give it back to me. What did he do with this during that time?

He steps over a body, directing us toward the door when his mask catches my eye in the sea of blood.

I bend down, swiping it up with my other hand.

“That was a little terrifying, Luna. Not gonna lie…” Vaden jokes when we pass him. He tugs on the chain that’s wrapped around Corbin’s throat. “Good boy.”

Chapter Forty-Three

luna

Ifollow behind Priest the entire way, ducking behind his forearm.

“It’s quiet,” I say, breaking the silence between the dragging of chains.

Corbin laughs.

I stop as Priest turns back to me.

“You’re such a bunch of stupid fucks. Who do you think I answer to, hmmm?” The light above us flickers, as Corbin lifts his head from between his shoulders. “I gotta say, I’m sure they scare me a hell of a lot more than you do. And that’s saying something since I’m sure it’s painfully obvious how terrifying you are.”

“Question.” I take the first step forward. “You keep talking about this entity.” Corbin’s smirk doesn’t fall.

I lean into his ear. “But who is left if I already killed Danny Dale, Moses Dale, and Jeremiah?”

Vaden chuckles when Corbin’s smile finally disappears.

I stand. “Now who’s the stupid fuck?”

Priest is still staring at me.

“Unless…” Everything slides back into place like a perfectly formed puzzle. I take one step. “Where was Darling when she wasn’t free, running around?”

Priest doesn’t move.

Another step. He’s directly in front of me now, and up this close, and with any other person, I know he’d just use the machete in his hand to take my head clean off.

His jaw bounces, but he doesn’t move. “What, Madness? Wanna ask something, fucking ask it.”

“I’d suggest not,” Vaden pipes up from behind. “I’d suggest you wait until we carry this sack of cum into the hole he crawled out of.”

“Walk. Now.”

When we reach the end, we climb the stairs that spiral upward. He pushes up at the manhole until the sun blinds us.

Grabbing on to his hand, he hauls me out, and I fall back onto my ass with a thud. I stop. The encasement of fuchsia pink roses vine and twist together in a sea of greenery. A perfect circle lines the grass, where small bench seats curve as if looking down. It smells of honey and musk.

“Where are we?”

Vaden lands with a thud. “The roses not give it away?”

I guess not.

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